It's not just self conscious Niagara and Okanagan producers who want to take on their French rivals - the English are at it too.
The southernmost part of England is actually an extension of the chalky geological formations that give Champagne its edge - think of the White Cliffs of Dover - so a number of producers in Sussex, Kent and other southern counties have been working hard on sparkling wines.
England's problem isn't the winter, it's the summer. It just doesn't quite get warm enough for really ripe grapes. However hot summers recently, including 2003, have encouraged more investment. When I was in England in October, I was knocked out by the quality of Nytimber, which performed well in the taste challege.
As with Niagara, the really good quality English sparklers are not cheap - GBP20 is not uncommon - and also they don't produce or export much.
Here's Decanter's report on a recent England vs. Champagne challenge.
